Traditionally, if you wanted to lose weight, you would get on a treadmill. And if I wanted to build muscle, I would do single-muscle isolation exercises with weights like bicep curls. But with this 30-minute dumbbell workout, you can hit all of your fitness goals in one workout.
Whether working out at the gym or working out at home, you only need a pair of dumbbells for this routine. If you prefer to work out at home, it’s worth investing in a set of space-saving customizable dumbbells, like the best adjustable dumbbells.
Before choosing a load for this session with these Strength training tips for beginners.the fitness trainers behind this workout—Juice and Toya (opens in a new tab)—I suggest that “you [go] a little heavier than I normally would to get the most out of this workout.”
If you’re concerned that this means the routine may be too much, the duo note that “if any of the moves are too difficult, Toya covers it with a few modifications,” so you can train with heavier weights without affecting your form.
You’ll do each exercise for 40 seconds, take a 20-second break, and then start the next move. If you’re looking to improve your technique, you can follow Juice & Toya’s demos as they train with you.
Watch Juice & Toya’s 30-Minute Dumbbell Workout
The routine includes muscle-building exercises like goblet squats, weighted lunge variations, and deadlifts, so be sure to read up on how to deadlift with dumbbells to get the most out of your move before you start.
These exercises work multiple muscles simultaneously, a variety known as compound exercises. It’s a time efficient way to build strength, so even Chris Hemsworth’s trainer favors compound movements.
But the way you train also plays a crucial role in this session. Juice & Toya’s 30-minute workout is an example of high-intensity resistance training (HIRT), where you work out in short, intense bursts with minimal rest.
This makes your muscles work hard but keeps your heart rate up, burning energy during your workout. Keeping your heart rate elevated by minimizing the number of breaks you take also helps increase your metabolism, the amount of energy you burn at rest.
If you can’t do a 30-minute workout a day, it’s worth choosing one of the best kettlebell and learning how to make swings with kettlebell. This compound movement works your entire body, gets your heart rate up and builds core strength.
